If I were to ask you about healthy breakfast choices, oatmeal would likely make the top of the list. If I were to ask you about boring breakfast choices, you might think that oatmeal might make the top of that list, too, but you’d be wrong.
Oatmeal has had a recent makeover. It’s not the tasteless gruel that it used to be. Don’t get me wrong – I’ve been an oatmeal lover since I was a young child, but not everyone can appreciate simple porridge topped with brown sugar and a splash of milk that was the hearty breakfast that I fondly remember.
Now oatmeal is available in instant, quick cooking, old fashioned, and steel cut varieties. We have all kinds of choices!
In addition to the texture, the methods of using oatmeal have become both varied and delicious. This surge in popularity is partly due to its amazing health benefits. Oats are high in carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and fat making them one of the best whole grains. They are also high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Some of the benefits of oatmeal include:
- Reduced cholesterol – both LDL and total
- Reduced blood pressure
- Reduced blood sugar and insulin sensitivity
- Helps increase gut health
- Helps with weight loss
- Prevents constipation
- Oats are naturally gluten-free, but read labels as some brands are not due to cross contamination
Here are 3 new ways to incorporate this amazing food into your morning routine.
- Baked Oatmeal: it’s like dessert for breakfast
- Puerto Rican Avena: a Caribbean custard-like variation that tastes like cinnamon, hopes, and dreams
- Overnight Oatmeal: skip the heat and prep your breakfast in the fridge for the next day or week
Baked Oatmeal is usually done in one of two ways: in a pan or as individual breakfast muffins or cookies. I tested the pan method as a Pintesting blog post on “Baked Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal” recipe. Not only was it simple to make, but it was also very delicious.
Another way to bake your oatmeal is with breakfast cookies or muffins. I like variety so I’m looking forward to trying these Healthy
Puerto Rican Avena, Mmm! When I was growing up, every few years my family would go to Puerto Rico to visit my mother’s side of the family. One of my favorite memories was when my aunt, Titi Carmen, would make
My mom, who was an incredible cook, had her own version of avena. While it was very good, there was something out of this world with the way Titi Carmen made it. Thankfully, I was able to get her recipe and can share secret of her success with you.
Puerto Rican Avena
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Oatmeal See Notes
- 3-4 Cups Milk of choice Divided
- 1-2 Cinnamon sticks
- 3 Tbs Brown sugar more or less to taste
- 1-4 tsp Salt
Instructions
- Soak the oats in the milk for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- For a creamy texture, blend until smooth. You can skip this step but it won’t be as smooth.
- Pour into a large saucepan adding 1-2 Cups of milk to your desired consistency. Add the remaining ingredients.
- Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes.
- Remove the cinnamon stick(s) and serve topped with a dash of ground cinnamon.
Notes
Overnight oatmeal is the simplest way to prepare oatmeal for busy lives since it takes no cooking time – just some planning and prep work. Small mason jars work perfectly for making a batch of these. Layer in the ingredients and refrigerate for a week of breakfasts ready to go.
Most of the recipes mix the oats with Greek yogurt, milk, a sweetener, and something to flavor it with like chocolate, fruit, nuts, and spices. Adding health boosting ingredients like flax seeds or meal, chia seeds, or hemp seeds will level up the nutritional value. You can easily substitute plant-based yogurt and milk without any change to the end results.
Monica, of The Yummy Life, gives 6 different ways to make refrigerator oatmeal on her post, Overnight, No-Cook Refrigerator Oatmeal. You won’t be bored with the same old breakfast. She also shares some great information about the benefits of chia seeds.
There are many more ways to enjoy the health benefits of oatmeal such as toppings & mix-ins, using a slow cooker overnight, and energy bites for breakfast and beyond.
I put the recipes mentioned here on Our Urban Homestead’s Pinterest board, Recipes-Breakfast. For even more recipes, see the Food-Breakfast board on our sister site, Pintesting.
Set yourself up for success by starting your day with a healthy breakfast that your body and taste buds will love. Share how you like your oatmeal in the comments below!
